Columns

The peak season for blackberries in Kentucky is June and July. Look for firm, dry berries whether you are picking or purchasing.
Avoid containers that are stained because that may indicate crushed or overripe berries.
Blackberries should be shiny and black. Avoid berries that have a dull appearance or have a reddish color. Moisture will increase spoilage. Don’t wash berries until you are ready to use them.

There are lots of words to describe the weather we’ve been having. Saying you can wear the air or cut the air with a knife are just two. When the humidity got this high in the olden days, my Grandma would say it is “close” out.

Protect yourself and your family from becoming victims of elder financial abuse.
Information for this column comes from MetLife Mature Market Institute. In cooperation with Virginia Tech and the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, MetLife has completed a study of Elder Financial Abuse — Crimes of Occasion, Desperation and Predation Against America’s Elders.
The purpose of this column is to increase awareness of elder financial abuse, symptoms, safety and what you can do to protect your family. I encourage you to read the entire study.

I love dusk. It’s that special time between daylight and dark, that allows me to just stand and admire life around me. That evening light gently deepens the green and then the lightning bugs come out.
I love watching those little flares of brilliant yellow. They flash on and off so fast that you can hardly find the spot before it’s gone. They’re Mother Nature’s own Christmas lights.
We really should celebrate a little Christmas in July.

I’m teaching a class on American regional cooking. In this column I usually use recipes that feature Kentucky products.
However, everyone in the class loved this recipe and it does make a very nice dessert for summer. It isn’t low in calories or high on good nutrition but it does taste good.

I love a good rainstorm, especially at night.
We sure got some rain last week. The night of the big blow I ended up with over 2 1/2 inches. It thundered and rumbled and lit up the sky and I slept like a baby. In Arizona, I sometimes used a CD of rainstorms to help me fall asleep. Arizona rarely has what we call thunderstorms. It is a desert.

Teens in distress need support and understanding from family members and other trusted adults.
Whether you are a parent, grandparent or other trusted adult, you may be someone who cares about a teen who harms himself/herself.
This behavior is very distressing for the adult who cares for the teen. The purpose of this column is to help the trusted adult know how to best help the teen who self-harms.
This is also the topic of the Family Caregiver Health Bulletin for July 2013. I encourage you to read it on the Anderson County Extension Office website.

Have you noticed the extra daylight hours that we have now that summer is officially here?
There’s more time for everything. We can still be out mowing at 9 p.m. The extra light makes things grow faster, too, but my favorite part is having a little time to just sit outside and enjoy the view. When the sun goes down the lightening bugs come out, like little fireworks. Better than fireworks though because there are no loud noises to go with it.

Besides the warm weather, do you know what I love most about summer? It’s the most colorful time of the year. Everywhere I look, whether it’s in the wild or around the lawn, beautiful blooms abound.
Here on the farm, I have a bumper crop of hairy vetch and honeysuckle. That beautiful purple spire of the hairy vetch sets off the yellow and cream blooms of the honeysuckle covering the banks. As the heat and humidity rise, the scent of the blooms fill the air. I love summer, and it’s almost here.